This is a blog of items I have baked, including recipes from the many cookbooks I own, my own created recipes, and recipes from other sources. I will write about what I have made and post a picture along with it! During stretches when I go without baking, I will write a brief article about some aspect of cooking, baking, ingredients, or preparation techniques.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

At the end of every year, I like to look back at the year's work and decide what have been my best, most impressive, tastiest, or prettiest creations of the year. Here are the items that made the list for 2014. I'm sorry I did not provide the links for them, but just type the name in the search bar in the top left-hand corner of this blog and the items should pop up!

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Last year I had a very cupcake Christmas - as in the vast majority of my presents were cupcake themed in some way, shape, or form. Well, that wasn't the case this year, although I did receive a few more cupcake things. However, because I love cooking and baking and everything food related and am in the food industry, I still do receive many food related gifts. Here is just a taste of some of the foodie gifts I got this year.Pictured here (clockwise from 12:00):A set of dish towels and flour ornaments and a purple plate arranged to look like a cake, a milk frother, a new French cookbook, an "I Love Chocolate" mug, a Christmas catalog from one of my favorite bakeries, a cupcake novel, black forest cake tea, a decorated gingerbread cookie, coconut oil, and Lebkuchen. More foodie gifts I got that are not pictured here include:A cupcake apron, dishtowels, a tablecloth, a Brie baker, a cupcake ornament, a cookie ornament, a culinary hoodie, cookies, a decorative food angel, a cookie notebook, and of course, chocolate. And you may be able to see in the background - more cupcake wrapping paper!!!

Monday, December 29, 2014

Garlic Butter1/4 cup salted butter (or use unsalted and season with salt as desired)3 cloves garlic6-8 black peppercorns1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemaryLeave the butter at room temperature briefly to soften.Finely mince the garlic cloves. Then use the back of a spoon to mash it up until softened and no longer crunchy.Crush the peppercorns with the back of a knife. Beat the butter in a small bowl until pliable. Add in the garlic, peppercorns, and rosemary. Beat until combined. Taste and adjust - if it isn't garlicky enough for you, add more garlic. Add more pepper or rosemary if desired. Salted butter should provide enough salt, but add a touch more if you wish.The butter is now ready, but I recommend transferring it to another serving dish for presentation. I pressed a flour design into my butter. Alternatively, if really soft the butter may be piped with a pastry bag into rosettes, or the butter can be scooped with a melon baller. The butter can be stored in the refrigerator for at least a week. It is best served at room temperature, but will readily melt if spread onto warm bread. Use the amunt of butter for the amount of garlic butter needed, and adjust seasonings accordingly. This butter is excellent for making garlic bread, spread on any type of rolls, or even to season and cook meats. Homemade garlic butter is so easy to make - and better-tasting and better for you than commercially produced varities.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Tonight for dinner, to go along with our lasagna, I made soft white dinner rolls and homemade garlic butter, instead of the typical garlic bread we usually have. Normally I am a huge fan of whole wheat and multigrain breads and rolls - but this is one of the exceptions. These rolls are the softest, fluffiest, most moist and buttery dinner rolls I have ever had and in order to achieve this, they must be made with white flour. Sometimes, you just have to have a little treat like these little gems. You know those soft white rolls people always pick up at the grocery store bakery to have on hand as a side dish for meals and potlucks? Well these are at least ten times better. That's not surprising, since they are homemade, but what is surprising is that these rolls are not difficult to make at all. They don't take up too much time either, most of the time in this recipe is spent waiting for the rolls to rise. Nevertheless, you can start now and enjoy hot, buttery rolls in three hours.This recipe came from the same book at the revised panettone recipe, a book I am definitely beginning to love, as every recipe seems to turn out to be outstanding. In addition, the recipes are easy to follow, use common ingredients, and are things you have always wanted to make. I really enjoy making rolls, I love rolling them and delicately brushing each one with egg wash and butter. These rolls really don't need anything - but some plain butter or homemade garlic butter as I did go really well. Of course the rolls are best fresh from the oven, but they are almost as good cold or reheated the next day. The freeze really well too. Try them with dinner or for breakfast with jam or peanut butter.The process for making these rolls could not be easier - it is the straight dough method where you throw all scaled, room temperature ingredients in a bowl and mix, then knead for ten minutes or so until smooth. Let it rise for an hour until doubled, form into 35g rolls, and proof for half an hour or so until doubled again. Brush them with egg wash, bake at 400◦F for 12-15 minutes, brush the warm rolls with melted butter, pull apart, and inhale!I just formed these into round rolls, but there are a few different things you can do to make them fancier. If you place them really close together on the baking sheet, they will bake together into pan rolls. You can use a pair of kitchen scissors to make different types of cuts into the rolls or alternately use a stamp or press to add designs.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

This year, I decided to try a new recipe that I found in a reputable baking textbook. No other recipe from this book had failed to disappoint me, and I had tried several, so I decided to go with this one. This new panettone, although a bit heavier than the old recipe, was certainly richer and moister. It is made by the enriched straight dough method for yeast breads. It was also chock-full of plump, delicious fruit and flavor. The new recipe uses only egg yolks and a large quantity of butter for richness. It is flavored by vanilla extract and lemon and orange zest. It uses bread flour for a higher gluten content and more structure. Instead of making three or four smaller panettones, I made two larger ones and baked them in a bundt pan and a tube pan. There are a few major differences between this panettone recipe and the one I used to use. The old recipe was less traditional, and used cherries as fruit and also contained the addition of a little rum for extra flavor and keeping qualities. This new recipe uses more traditional fruits - simply raisins, golden raisins, and candied orange peel. The new recipe contains both lemon and orange zest, where the old recipe used the flavorings of lemon zest and anise extract. Both are yeast breads that are formed into small round loaves and baked either free-form or in panettone molds or similar pans. I definitely like this new recipe better though, and if I make panettone next year, I will be using this recipe again (unless I find an even better one).

Friday, December 26, 2014

Panettone is a traditional Italian fruit bread that appears around Christmastime. You can get some really good store-bought ones, with simple ingredients and good flavor, however they are still full of preservatives (they last about a year) and just do not beat homemade! I have been making homemade panettone breads for the past three or four years. Before then, my grandmother and my father had always bought some panettone each Christmastime to enjoy, but I decided I could try making some myself. Now I like to give some out as gifts at Christmastime, and share some with family members.The past few years I have been using the same panettone recipe I found in one of my mother's bread cookbooks, which usually makes 3-4 smaller loaves. It turned out really well the first year, but in the next two years I noticed several areas for improvement. I found this recipe a bit dry, lacking in fruit, and not quite as rich and buttery as it needed to be. Although I always found the fruit difficult to knead into it, I found the final product didn't have quite enough fruit. The flavor was there, but not quite strong enough. And the loaves were small with an uneven shape and appearance. Although I tried a few changes to the recipe myself, I decided to try a brand new recipe this year, and I will share the results of that trial tomorrow.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Seasons Greetings! This is the one day of the year where I really take a break from food blogging, set an automatic update, and just post a quick little message to wish everyone a great day! Enjoy time spent with loved ones, and some great feasts. Whether you opt for the traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings, or a different family tradition, something unconventional, or even a really good pizza - enjoy it along with some great desserts and great memories made with loved ones.

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch rectangular pan.In a large bowl, place the first eight ingredients. Stir the soda into the hot water until it bubbles then add to bowl. Mix well until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Here is a really quick gingerbread cake recipe that is a real saver at Christmastime. It is basically a one bowl recipe for a nice gingerbread, with a cake-like texture. It is baked in a long rectangular cake pan and is easy to serve. It is great warm or old as is, or with ice cream, whipped cream, a dusting of icing sugar, or a sauce - caramel, eggnog, spiced, crème anglaise, or a spiked sauce such as brown sugar rum, bourbon butterscotch, or a simple hard sauce.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Gingerbread isn't just for cookies or cakes - it can work for cupcakes or muffins as well! These gingerbread cupcakes my mother made are moist and sweet enough to be cupcakes, but we eat them as muffins. If you would like them to be cupcakes, I would recommend a cream cheese icing, brown butter icing, or salted caramel buttercream. An eggnog flavored frosting would be nice as well.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Last year, we went with decorating a gingerbread train instead of a gingerbread house, to try out a new gingerbread kit. This year, we made both a gingerbread house and a gingerbread train. We had bought a reduced gingerbread train at the end of season last year, but forgot about it. So we bought a house this year, because although the train is cute, the house seemed cuter and more traditional. While we were putting out Christmas decorations this year, we found the gingerbread train set, and decided to put that together as well. So here is this year's gingerbread train, displayed on the shelf below our gingerbread house.The houses for the past few years can be found at these links: 2011 and 2012.Here is the link for last year's gingerbread train: Train.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

In keeping with the tradition of constructing a family gingerbread house each year, here is the 2014 edition. Unfortunately, this year it was only my parents who were around to decorate the house, but I think they did a great job! Although we get pretty much the same, or a very similar, house every year, it always ends up being decorated differently, or we trade which parts each person decorates. These kits never seem to include enough candy to mimic the fancy designs given on the box as suggestions, and they never account for the small little candies that roll away - to be found later in the day. I particularly like the wreath on the front of this house, I think it is quite creative. I am happy and thankful to be home with my family now in order to celebrate the holidays.Happy Holidays to all!

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Here are some more gingerbread cookies! I made these one miniature for some bite-sized cookies. What I like about these cookies is they are so small and extra crisp - almost like crackers - so you can eat a bunch of them. You can also make so many more different shapes, and you get way more cookies from one batch of dough. Also since they are so tiny, they really don't require any decorating. though they would probably be really good in a dip - try a sweet frosting, cream cheese, and eggnog dip, etc. Pictured here are two different angel shapes, a candy cane, and a star.

Friday, December 19, 2014

This is one of the ultimate brownie recipes for brownie and chocolate lovers (me). Even those who are not in love with brownies will enjoy these. Since they are not mixed much, and ingredients are folded in, this creates a very fudgey and dense brownie. Yet these brownies definitely hold up well. This batch makes a big panful of tall brownies, so you get a lot from one batch. They contain some dried cranberries to give them a little festive feel, but these can be omitted or replaced with chopped nuts, or chocolate chips for a double chocolate brownie. The cranberries do not impart a strong flavor or texture though, they sort of "melt" into the chocolate. I often use whole wheat flour for chocolaty items such as brownies because you cannot detect the difference and it makes them slightly more nutritious. These need no icing, but an icing colored with cherry juice would add even more festive color to these and make them sweeter.

Fudgey Cranberry Dark Chocolate Brownies300g dark chocolate, chopped, use as dark as you wish, depending on your personal preference (I used a mix of 90%, 72% and caramel 60%)200g butter, cubed1/4 cup dark chocolate syrup, optional8 large eggs1 1/2 cups granulated (white) sugar (may want to scale this up or down depending on the type of chocolate used)1 Tablespoons vanilla extract1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder2 teaspoons baking powderpinch salt2 cups sweetened dried cranberry, dusted lightly in flourPreheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch pan.Bring a small pot halfway full of water to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Place the chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl that will fit the pot, and melt, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Once melted, stir in the chocolate syrup and cool slightly.In a large bowl, beat the eggs until smoothly blended. Beat in the sugar until thick and dissolved, do not overbeat. Beat in vanilla. Temper this mixture with some of the chocolate, then fold all of the chocolate in.Fold in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Then fold in the cranberries. Do not overmix.Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, until edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Christmas will soon be here, and I was feeling quite festive and inspired the other day. So I made a Christmas themed cake. The red and green colors showing through the cake and the red and green sprinkles give a very festive appearance. The trick to get the red and green in the cake is actually quite simple, the same technique I used at Halloween (see {Orange Poke Cake}). This also makes the cake extra moist! Christmas Layer Cake2 round white cake layers, baked (cooled, optional)1 package green instant gelatin mix (lime)1 package red instant gelatin mix (cherry, raspberry, or strawberry)2 cups boiling water2 packages instant whipped topping (or use real whipped cream)1 cup cold milk1 Tablespoon vanilla extractChristmas sprinklesThe cakes need not be cool, but should be removed from pans and placed on plates. Pierce the cakes all over with a fork.In small bowls, dissolve each of the gelatins in one cup of boiling water. Whisk until dissolved. Carefully pour one over each cake. Cool.A few hours later, whip the topping mix with the milk and vanilla. Spread half of this one one of the cakes. Top with other cake. Spread top with remaining topping. Garnish with sprinkles. You may use a boxed mix, purchased cakes, or your own homemade cakes for this recipe, however white cake must be used in order for the colors to show through. You could decorate the cake with any type of frosting instead of cream or whipped topping, but I like the texture and light, fluffy appearance of the topping, almost like snow.

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch pan.In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the granulated sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the chips.Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until lightly browned. This square recipe is really just chocolate chip cookie dough baked in a pan and eaten in bar form. They are made festive by the use of colored chocolate chips, which are not chocolate flavored, but are still sweet and tasty. For the off-season, just replace with your favorite type of chips - milk chocolate, dark chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter, mint, etc.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

This is a Christmas pie recipe I came up with while staring at a jug of eggnog in the fridge. It is an easy way to make a simple cream pie, but had the Christmas flavors of eggnog and spices. I also found some cute little gingerbread man sprinkles to garnish it, though whipped cream would work as well. I like to use one of my favorite pie crust recipes, and oil-based pastry which is lighter and easier than a traditional pie crust. A shortbread or graham crumb crust would also be nice, but a prepared frozen or refrigerated pie shell could be used as well.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Gingerbread cookies are definitely one of my favorite Christmas cookies. I love the soft texture, and the molasses and spice flavor of these cookies. I seem to make them every year, but I always seem to use different recipes. Not that I haven't found a good recipe, I just like to try different ones I guess. This one makes a fairly large batch - anywhere from three to six dozen, depending upon size.Gingerbread Shapes1 cup butter or hard margarine, softened1 cup granulated sugar1 cup molasses2/3 cup water6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking soda2 teaspoons ginger1 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon cloves1 teaspoon saltPreheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line cookie sheets.In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the molasses, then slowly beat in the water. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining dry ingredients. Stir into butter mixture until combined. This dough may seem dry at first, but will turn into a soft and sticky dough. It should not need to be chilled before rolling, but it can be.Roll dough out to desired thickness (about 1/4 inch) and cut with floured cutters. Bake for about 10 minutes until beginning to turn golden around the edges.

These cookies can be decorated by pressing candies, chocolate chips, sprinkles, or dried fruit into the dough before baking. Alternately, brush the cookies with warmed corn syrup to attach decorations after baking, or decorate with icing.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

This is a spin on the traditional crisp rice cereal squares. Extra texture comes from the addition of oats and coconut. The squares are given a holiday theme by using colored shredded coconut and crisp rice cereal, both are available in red, green, and white colored mixes for the holidays. Of course you can use regular as well, especially if it isn't Christmas time. These squares also have a mellow chocolate flavor.

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch pan. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until light colored and thick. Beat in the sugar, then the vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt, followed by the fruit. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.Bake for about 25-30 minutes until set and light golden.

Some people love fruitcake, some don't, and others find it too much of a bother to make. This square recipe combines some of the flavors of fruitcake into a handy little bar. It is not quite as dense and dark as a regular fruitcake would be, but more light, refreshing, and chock full of fruit. A perfect addition to a tray of holiday sweets.

Preheat oven to 400◦F. Grease or line muffin cups.In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Beat in the milk, oil, and cranberry sauce. Fold in the dry ingredients. Bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Spread each muffin with a little butter and sprinkle with sugar. Makes about 30 muffins.

What do you do with that leftover cranberry sauce you have from the holidays? Well, you can use it up to make a tasty batch of muffins. Less labor intensive than using fresh or frozen cranberries, as they do not require chopping, draining, or defrosting. Since cranberry sauce is sweetened as well, this muffin contains less sugar in the formula, but is still plenty sweet to contrast those tart cranberries. You also get a ribbon of yummy cranberry filling throughout each bite of the muffin.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Rich, sweet, buttery buttertarts are great all year round, but they seem to be especially popular around holiday times. Though buttertarts are not particularly difficult to make, the forming of each individual tartlet can be tedious and time-consuming. These bars are a great way to get all of the flavor of buttertarts in a convenient, handheld bar. The crust is a rich and buttery shortbread crust instead of the typical pie crust, which I think pairs even better with the filling.

Buttertart BarsCRUST1 cup butter, softened1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour1/4 teaspoon saltFILLING1/2 cup butter, softened2 cups packed light brown sugar4 large eggs1/2 cup golden corn syrup2 teaspoons vanilla extract2 Tablespoons all-purpose (plain) flour1/4 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking powder1 1/3 cups raisinsPreheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch pan.CRUST: Crumble all ingredients together well. Press evenly and firmly into prepared pan.FILLING: Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. beat in the corn syrup and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt.Sprinkle the raisins evenly over the baked crust. Pour the filling over top. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until almost set. Cool until set before cutting.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

This is a big batch of an easy casserole I made. Of course it can easily be varied by: type of pasta, type of meat, vegetables, sauce, spices and seasonings, add-ins (cheese, sour cream, etc.), but here is what I did:Cook two bags of macaroni pasta in boiling water until tender.Meanwhile, cook one package of ground pork in a little oil in a large saucepan until fully cooked. Stir in two large green peppers, diced, one package of sliced button mushrooms, and one can of seasoned diced tomatoes (with juice). Add in three packages of chili seasoning and bring mixture to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes until vegetables are tender. Pour the drained pasta into a large casserole dish, pour meat mixture over top. Stir in a couple cups of tomato sauce of choice. Mix well. Top with cheese if desired. Bake immediately to heat through, or cover and place in the fridge until ready to bake later.

Tuesday, December 09, 2014

Here is a really speedy and easy fruitcake recipe - good to have on hand if you have forgotten to prepare your homemade fruitcakes well in advance. All you have to do is boil some ingredients together, then once cooled, stir in everything else and bake. The boiling process helps to caramelize the sugar, soften the raisins, and intensify the spice. You can use your favorite fruits in this cake - substitute currants or chopped dates for some or all of the raisins, and use any kind of glacé fruit or peel you wish. You can add some nuts into this as well if desired. The fruitcake can be enjoyed immediately, frozen for long term storage, or soaked in liquor and well wrapped to age.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs until well combined. Beat in the molasses, then the water.

Sift together the remaining dry ingredients and stir in until just combined. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes about 20 muffins.

These ginger muffins remind me of gingerbread in a convenient, individual size perfect for breakfast or snacks! Great for the holiday season.

Sunday, December 07, 2014

I call this almost mom's trifle, because when I made it, I took inspiration from the trifle my mother always made. There are so many variations on trifle you could do - even with this recipe you could use any type of cake, pudding, pie filling, and garnish. But my mother always used white pound cake, cherry pie filling, and chocolate pudding. No matter what, it is delicious and foolproof. This is a quick and easy version, but if you want a from-scratch version, use homemade cake, fresh fruit, and homemade pudding or custard. Here is Mom's real trifle: {Trifle}.Almost Mom's Trifleone prepared 9x13 inch cake, I used a vanilla boxed cake mixit can be two round cakes, one bundt cake, whatever one recipe makesone can cherry pie fillingone package instant chocolate pudding mix, preparedone container frozen whipped topping, thawedsweetened cocoa powder for garnish

Cut the cake into small cubes. Layer half of these cubes in the bottom of a large bowl or glass dish. Spoon half of the pie filling over top. Spread with half of the pudding. Repeat layers. Spread with whipped topping. Sprinkle with the cocoa powder. Chill for a few hours before serving. Trifle is even better the next day once the flavors blend together.

Saturday, December 06, 2014

Christmas is coming - here is a quick and easy, buttery shortbread cookie recipe. Easy Shortbread Cookies2 cups butter, softened1 cup granulated (white) sugar3 1/4 cups all-purpose (plain) flour1/2 cup cornstarchPreheat oven to 300◦F. Grease or line cookie sheets. In a large bowl, cream butter until very soft. Cream in the sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour and cornstarch until thoroughly combined, dough will be stiff and dry. Roll into small balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Press lightly with a fork. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until lightly browned. Makes about four dozen cookies.

Place the dates in a bowl. Pour the water over top and allow to stand until softened and cool.Preheat oven to 400◦F. Grease or line 12 muffin cups.Meanwhile, beat the eggs until frothy. Beat in the oil and vanilla, then the sugar. Stir in the dates with the liquid.Fold in the dry ingredients. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins and bake for about 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Thursday, December 04, 2014

Cheater Chocolate Cream Pie1 prebaked pie shell - you can use a refrigerated or frozen pie crust, dock it, and bake it yourself; use a prepared graham crumb or chocolate wafer crust; or make your own crust of choicescant 2 cups milk1 package (4 serving size) instant chocolate pudding mixprepared topping - you may use frozen thawed whipped topping, a can of whipped topping, a prepared package of whipped topping, real whipped cream, or prepared frostingPlace the milk in a bowl. I like to use a little less than the two full cups of milk called for to make a slightly thicker cream pie filling. Pour in the pudding mix and whisk for two-four minutes until thickened. Spoon into prepared and cooled crust. Use the cream or icing to pipe swirls onto the pie to decorate. Refrigerate until firm. I am usually not one to use prepared and convenience products, but this is a really easy and foolproof recipe for inexperienced bakers to make in a pinch, and it is easy to produce in large quantities as well. This pie recipe can easily be transformed to any flavor cream pie. Try any of the following combinations:Crust: flaky pie dough, mealy pie dough, butter pie dough, shortbread, chocolate, chocolate wafer, graham crumb, cornflake crust, crisp rice crust, vanilla wafer, zwieback crust, phyllo crust, puff pastry crust, ground nuts, etc.Filling: any pudding mix, chocolate, vanilla, butterscotch, caramel, pistachio, lemon, lime.Topping: Flavor the cream or icing with any extract (vanilla, lemon, almond, butter), or a little bit of alcohol, a sprinkle of ground spice, or cocoa powder.Garnishes: nuts, chocolate, cookie pieces, candies, fresh fruit.

Wednesday, December 03, 2014

The other day I wanted to cook myself up a vegetable side dish, but I wanted it to be a little something different instead of simply a steamed vegetable, and I wanted to use something in season. So I spotted a nice looking locally grown turnip while shopping the other day, and decided to do something with that. I got my inspiration from the home fries my parents and I often like to make as an easy tasty side dish with meals - baked potatoes cut in fry shapes. I have heard of carrot, sweet potato ,and parsnip fries and decided to try turnip fries as well. The concept is the same - cut into thin strips and bake at a high temperature until tender and crisp. Season with salt, pepper, herbs, spices, and drizzle with oil as desired. The taste is definitely not the same as potatoes, but of all these vegetables, turnips and parsnips are not too far off, and the texture is surely similar and satisfying.To make these turnips fries, I placed them on a baking sheet lined with foil with a little bit of oil, curry powder, paprika, and ground black pepper. Then I baked them at 425◦F for 30 minutes, flipping them every ten minutes or so, until tender and crisp. Dip 'em in ketchup and you won't even notice the difference!

Tuesday, December 02, 2014

This sauce recipe is one of the quickest and easiest cooked sauces, and a classic flavor that goes well with a variety of desserts. Everyone loves a sweet, rich butterscotch flavored brown sugar sauce. A few crucial things: the brown sugar must be whisked until smooth to avoid a lumpy or grainy sauce. To cut the sweetness slightly, add a pinch of salt. To make a thicker, richer sauce, use milk or cream in place of the water, just be careful not to burn it during cooking. For a more flavorful sauce, add a teaspoon of vanilla or rum flavoring, or stir in a tablespoon of your favorite type of liquor, and either boil the liquor off or add it in at the end for even more flavor. Simple Brown Sugar Sauce1 cup packed light brown sugar1/4 cup all-purpose (plain) flour1 cup water1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, whisk together the brown sugar and flour until no lumps remain. Whisk in the water and vanilla. Bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Cook until of desired consistency. You can make this sauce as thick as you wish by boiling it longer. For bread pudding, as in yesterday's post, I like to keep the sauce on the thinner side so it spreads over the pudding and doesn't just land in one large clump. Keep the sauce thinner for things like ice cream, cakes, and pies. Make it a bit thicker for items such as squares and cookies. The sauce will thicken slightly upon cooling as well, and can be served either warm, cold, or at room temperature. It reheats as well.

Monday, December 01, 2014

Old-fashioned bread pudding - an ingenius way to reglorify old bread and make a delicious dessert at the same time. In this case, I have simply used the 'heels' or crust ends of loaves of whole wheat sandwich bread I had leftover from making a lot of toast and sandwiches. You don't even notice the fact that the bread is whole wheat, making this dessert slightly healthier. Bread pudding is a satisfying, yet not overly sweet dessert, made with good, old-fashioned ingredients such as milk, eggs, and butter. I like to sprinkle mine with cinnamon sugar for a little more flavor, texture, and appearance, but it is optional. I also love to serve bread pudding with a sauce, especially if it is a more dry bread pudding rather than a custardy bread pudding such as this one. I made a brown sugar sauce to go with this batch, which I will feature tomorrow. If you would like, substitute some of the milk with a little alcohol for your bread pudding (do not heat the alcohol if you really want the flavor to come through) and spike your dessert sauce as well. My favorite is brandy bread pudding with Bailey's butterscotch sauce.

Whole Wheat Bread Pudding8 cups whole wheat bread, cubed (I used all heels)8 cups milk1/2 cup butter or hard margarine2 cups raisins8 large eggs, beaten1 1/3 cups brown sugar4 teaspoons vanilla extract2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 teaspoon saltcinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar + 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, mix together)Preheat oven to 350◦F. Lightly grease a large casserole dish or baking pan.Scald the milk, then stir in the butter until melted, then the raisins. Meanwhile, beat the eggs with the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until thick. Temper this mixture with the milk, then stir it all into the milk mixture until smooth. Pour over the cubed bread in a large bowl. Let mixture stand for at least a few minutes to give the bread a chance to absorb the liquid. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake for about an hour until firm and set, and no longer liquidy. Serve warm or cold with a sauce of choice.